The Electric Barbarellas were an American all-femaleelectropop group whose career with producer Midi Mafia was depicted in a short-lived, critically panned, eponymous reality show that ran for one season on MTV.[1]
In 2010, Viacom CEO Sumner Redstone personally paid over $500,000 to fly the group to New York to meet with record labels while filming a reality-TV series based on the trip, after asking then-Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman to give one of his romantic pursuits an MTV series.[2] Redstone then forced Viacom-owned MTV to air the series. MTV executives originally balked at airing it because it was "so bad" but their resistance almost cost MTV's then-CEO Judy McGrath her job.[3] Les Moonves also arranged for the series to be promoted on CBS, as a favor to Redstone.[2]
The series ended with a phone call from a record executive provoking much shrieking, but the group quickly faded into obscurity once the show ended.[4]
The group performed the song "Without You" on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on May 27, 2011.[5] In their 2023 book Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy, James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams said that the Barbarellas were "singing wildly off pitch" in that Late Late Show appearance and that Moonves "dreaded" the requests by Redstone to promote the group on CBS.[6]
Membersedit
Heather Naylor, Chelsea Costa,[7] Gynger Fluellen, Missy, and Raven[8][9]
Discographyedit
Strange World (2011)
The Alectrixedit
Two years later, Naylor hired Joe Simpson (father of Ashlee and Jessica Simpson) to audition new members for the group, under the new name The Alectrix.[10] Again, the ordeal was filmed as a reality-TV series and aired on MTV.[4] And again, soon after the series ended, the group faded quickly into obscurity.
Later, Naylor was sued by Sumner Redstone's girlfriend Sydney Holland for allegedly stealing her laptop. Naylor counter-sued, claiming Holland negatively influenced Redstone to intentionally interfere with the success of The Alectrix, however Naylor eventually dropped the lawsuit.[11]
Referencesedit
^Lyons, Margaret (2011-05-06). "The Electric Barbarellas Might Be the Phoniest Reality Show Ever". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
^ ab"Inside the Near-Collapse and Resurrection of the Redstone Media Empire". Bloomberg.com. 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
^Lauria, Peter (2 June 2010). "Sex War at MTV: Sumner Redstone and his All-Girl Band, the Electric Barbarellas". The Daily Beast.
^ abHale, Mike (2013-06-03). "Girl Group Just Wants to Be Famous (Again)". The New York Times.
^Stewart, James B.; Abrams, Rachel. Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy. New York: Penguin Press. p. 43. ISBN978-1-9848-7942-4 – via Google Books.
^Conover, Patricia (2011-05-12). "Irvine woman seeks stardom on MTV's 'Barbarellas'". Orange County Register. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
^Tanya Ghahremani (25 May 2011). "Interview: MTV's Electric Barbarellas Talk About Girl Groups & In-Fighting". Complex. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
^"The Meet & Greet: The Electric Barbarellas". Celebuzz. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
^Friedman, Molly (28 May 2013). "MTV takes a different route to discovering stars with 'The Alectrix'". New York Daily News.
^"Former MTV Star Drops Legal Claim Against Sumner Redstone's Girlfriend". The Hollywood Reporter. 10 February 2015.
electric, barbarellas, were, american, female, electropop, group, whose, career, with, producer, midi, mafia, depicted, short, lived, critically, panned, eponymous, reality, show, that, season, contents, background, members, discography, alectrix, references, . The Electric Barbarellas were an American all female electropop group whose career with producer Midi Mafia was depicted in a short lived critically panned eponymous reality show that ran for one season on MTV 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Members 3 Discography 4 The Alectrix 5 References 6 External linksBackground editIn 2010 Viacom CEO Sumner Redstone personally paid over 500 000 to fly the group to New York to meet with record labels while filming a reality TV series based on the trip after asking then Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman to give one of his romantic pursuits an MTV series 2 Redstone then forced Viacom owned MTV to air the series MTV executives originally balked at airing it because it was so bad but their resistance almost cost MTV s then CEO Judy McGrath her job 3 Les Moonves also arranged for the series to be promoted on CBS as a favor to Redstone 2 The series ended with a phone call from a record executive provoking much shrieking but the group quickly faded into obscurity once the show ended 4 The group performed the song Without You on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on May 27 2011 5 In their 2023 book Unscripted The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy James B Stewart and Rachel Abrams said that the Barbarellas were singing wildly off pitch in that Late Late Show appearance and that Moonves dreaded the requests by Redstone to promote the group on CBS 6 Members editHeather Naylor Chelsea Costa 7 Gynger Fluellen Missy and Raven 8 9 Discography editStrange World 2011 The Alectrix editTwo years later Naylor hired Joe Simpson father of Ashlee and Jessica Simpson to audition new members for the group under the new name The Alectrix 10 Again the ordeal was filmed as a reality TV series and aired on MTV 4 And again soon after the series ended the group faded quickly into obscurity Later Naylor was sued by Sumner Redstone s girlfriend Sydney Holland for allegedly stealing her laptop Naylor counter sued claiming Holland negatively influenced Redstone to intentionally interfere with the success of The Alectrix however Naylor eventually dropped the lawsuit 11 References edit Lyons Margaret 2011 05 06 The Electric Barbarellas Might Be the Phoniest Reality Show Ever Vulture Retrieved 2020 08 13 a b Inside the Near Collapse and Resurrection of the Redstone Media Empire Bloomberg com 2023 02 10 Retrieved 2023 02 16 Lauria Peter 2 June 2010 Sex War at MTV Sumner Redstone and his All Girl Band the Electric Barbarellas The Daily Beast a b Hale Mike 2013 06 03 Girl Group Just Wants to Be Famous Again The New York Times This Week s Guests The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Archived from the original on December 21 2010 Retrieved 28 May 2011 Stewart James B Abrams Rachel Unscripted The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy New York Penguin Press p 43 ISBN 978 1 9848 7942 4 via Google Books Conover Patricia 2011 05 12 Irvine woman seeks stardom on MTV s Barbarellas Orange County Register Retrieved 2020 08 13 Tanya Ghahremani 25 May 2011 Interview MTV s Electric Barbarellas Talk About Girl Groups amp In Fighting Complex Retrieved 6 May 2016 The Meet amp Greet The Electric Barbarellas Celebuzz Retrieved 6 May 2016 Friedman Molly 28 May 2013 MTV takes a different route to discovering stars with The Alectrix New York Daily News Former MTV Star Drops Legal Claim Against Sumner Redstone s Girlfriend The Hollywood Reporter 10 February 2015 External links editThe Electric Barbarellas 2011 at IMDb nbsp The Alectrix 2013 at IMDb nbsp The Electric Barbarellas official site at the Wayback Machine archived 17 May 2014 The Electric Barbarellas MTV site at the Wayback Machine archived 26 July 2013 The Alectrix MTV site at the Wayback Machine archived 13 March 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Electric Barbarellas amp oldid 1186810520, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
